Editing Barry Bonds (section)

==Professional career==

===Draft and minor leagues===
The [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] drafted Bonds with the sixth overall pick of the [[1985 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1st Round of the 1985 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=1985&draft_round=1&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He joined the [[Potomac Nationals|Prince William Pirates]] of the [[Carolina League]] and was named July 1985 Player of the Month for the league.<ref name="Pirates Encyclopedia">{{cite book |last1=Finoli |first1=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1VwOLIVOWvwC&pg=PA262 |title=The Pittsburgh Pirates Encyclopedia |last2=Rainer |first2=Bill |publisher=[[Skyhorse Publishing|Sports Publishing]] |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-58261-416-8 |location=United States |page=262 |access-date=September 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031000907/https://books.google.com/books?id=1VwOLIVOWvwC&pg=PA262#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=October 31, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1986, he hit .311 with seven home runs and 37 RBI in 44 games for the [[Hawaii Islanders]] of the [[Pacific Coast League]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Barry Bonds minor league statistics & history |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bonds-001bar |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328072422/http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bonds-001bar |archive-date=March 28, 2010 |access-date=September 12, 2010 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref>

===Pittsburgh Pirates (1986–1992)===
Before Bonds made it to the major leagues in Pittsburgh, Pirate fan attendance was low, with 1984 and 1985 attendance below 10,000 per game for the 81-game home schedule,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/24/sports/baseball-young-pirates-bring-out-that-old-fan-spirit.html |title=Baseball; Young Pirates Bring Out That Old Fan Spirit |last=Moran |first=Malcolm |date=July 24, 1988 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-date=January 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140124064548/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/24/sports/baseball-young-pirates-bring-out-that-old-fan-spirit.html |url-status=live }}</ref> with attendance woes being a combination of the [[Steel crisis|economic problems]] of [[Western Pennsylvania]] in the early 1980s as well as the [[Pittsburgh drug trials]] that directly affected the Pirates going from [[1979 World Series|World Series champions]] to nearly relocating to [[Denver]] in only six years. Bonds made his major league debut on May 30, 1986, finishing 0-for-5 with a walk in a 6–4 loss to the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 30, 1986 |title=Los Angeles Dodgers vs Pittsburgh Pirates Box Score: May 30, 1986 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT198605300.shtml |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> On June 4, he hit his first major league home run and drove in four runs, helping the Pirates to a 12–3 win over the [[Atlanta Braves]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 4, 1986 |title=Pittsburgh Pirates vs Atlanta Braves Box Score: June 4, 1986 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL198606040.shtml |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In 1986, Bonds led [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) rookies with 16&nbsp;home runs, 48&nbsp;RBI, 36&nbsp;stolen bases, and 65&nbsp;walks, but he finished sixth in [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] voting.<ref name=br-stats/><ref>{{cite web |title=1986 National League Rookie of the Year Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1986.shtml#NLroy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415192415/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1986.shtml |archive-date=April 15, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref> He played [[Center fielder|center field]] in 1986, but switched to [[left field]] with the arrival of centerfielder [[Andy Van Slyke]] in 1987.<ref name=BWSBTD/>

In his early years, Bonds batted as the [[leadoff hitter]].<ref name="BBHaPBBPP">{{Cite web |url=http://trib.com/sports/article_ddbf3f8f-d5d1-5045-8b68-7ed2ea56123e.html |title=Barry Bonds: How a prospect became baseball's premier player |last=Meyer |first=Paul |date=August 13, 2004 |website=[[Casper Star-Tribune]] |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-date=June 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110618143744/http://trib.com/sports/article_ddbf3f8f-d5d1-5045-8b68-7ed2ea56123e.html |url-status=live }}</ref> With Van Slyke also in the outfield, the Pirates had a venerable defensive tandem that worked together to cover a lot of ground on the field although they were not close off the field.<ref name="BBHaPBBPP" /> The Pirates experienced a surge in fan enthusiasm with Bonds on the team and set the club attendance record of 52,119 in the 1987 home opener.<ref name=BPTPSCR>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/12/sports/baseball-pirates-top-phillies-set-crowd-record.html|access-date=September 14, 2010|date=April 12, 1988|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Baseball; Pirates Top Phillies; Set Crowd Record|agency=[[Associated Press]]|archive-date=January 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140124070125/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/12/sports/baseball-pirates-top-phillies-set-crowd-record.html|url-status=live}}</ref> That year, he hit .261 with 25&nbsp;home runs, along with 32&nbsp;stolen bases and 59&nbsp;RBI in 150 games.<ref name=br-stats/>

Bonds improved in 1988, hitting .283 with 24&nbsp;home runs and 58 RBI in 144 games.<ref name=br-stats/> The Pirates broke the record set the previous year with 54,089 attending the home opener.<ref name=BPTPSCR/> Bonds now fit into a highly respected lineup featuring [[Bobby Bonilla]], Van Slyke, and [[Jay Bell]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E0DE113BF934A35752C0A9669D8B63 |title=An Appreciation; Worth Watching, From Start to Finish |last=Kepner |first=Tyler |date=January 7, 2007 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110153944/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E0DE113BF934A35752C0A9669D8B63 |url-status=live }}</ref> He finished with 19&nbsp;homers, 58&nbsp;RBI, and 14&nbsp;outfield [[assist (baseball)|assists]] in 1989, which was second in the NL.<ref name=br-stats/><ref name="mlb89">{{Cite web |title=1989 National League Fielding Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1989-fielding-leaders.shtml |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Following the season, rumors that he would be traded to the Dodgers for [[Jeff Hamilton (baseball)|Jeff Hamilton]] and [[John Wetteland]], but the team denied the rumors and no such trade occurred.<ref name="BWSBTD">{{cite web |date=December 22, 1989 |title=Bucs Won't Send Bonds To Dodgers |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rdsxAAAAIBAJ&pg=6124,2625272&dq=barry-bonds+dodgers&hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803031811/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rdsxAAAAIBAJ&pg=6124,2625272&dq=barry-bonds+dodgers&hl=en |archive-date=August 3, 2021 |access-date=September 14, 2010 |work=[[Lawrence Journal-World]] |via=[[Google News Archive]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1989-12-22 |title=Pirates Deny Bonds Trade for Wetteland, Hamilton |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-12-22-sp-989-story.html |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

Bonds won his first [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP Award]] in 1990,<ref>{{cite web |title=1990 National League Most Valuable Player Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1990.shtml#NLmvp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415185017/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1990.shtml |archive-date=April 15, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref> hitting .301 with 33&nbsp;home runs and 114&nbsp;RBI in 151 games.<ref name="br-stats" /> He also stole 52 bases, which was third in the league, and joined the [[30–30 club|30–30]] and [[20–50 club]]s for the first time.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wittenmyer |first=Gordon |date=August 7, 2024 |title=Fast company: Look who's in the elite club Cincinnati Reds SS Elly De La Cruz just joined |url=https://www.aol.com/fast-company-look-whos-elite-165613130.html |access-date=December 29, 2024 |newspaper=[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]] |via=[[AOL]]}}</ref> He won his first [[Gold Glove Award]] and [[Silver Slugger Award]].<ref name=MLB/> That year, the Pirates won the [[National League East]] title for their first postseason berth since winning the [[1979 World Series]]. However, [[list of Cincinnati Reds seasons|the Cincinnati Reds]], whose last postseason berth had also been in 1979 when they lost to the Pirates in [[1979 National League Championship Series|that year's NLCS]], defeated the Pirates in the [[1990 National League Championship Series|NLCS]] en route to winning the [[1990 World Series]].<ref name=MLB/>

In 1991, Bonds again put up great numbers, batting .292 with 25 homers and driving in 116 runs in 153 games, earning him another Gold Glove and Silver Slugger.<ref name="br-stats" /> He finished second to [[1991 Atlanta Braves season|the Atlanta Braves]]' [[Terry Pendleton]] (the NL batting champion) in the MVP voting.<ref name=MLB/><ref>{{cite web |title=1991 National League Most Valuable Player Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1991.shtml#NLmvp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410103618/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1991.shtml |archive-date=April 10, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref>

In March 1992, Pirates general manager [[Ted Simmons]] agreed to a deal with Atlanta Braves counterpart [[John Schuerholz]] to trade Bonds, in exchange for [[Alejandro Peña]], [[Keith Mitchell (baseball)|Keith Mitchell]], and a [[player to be named later]]. Pirates manager [[Jim Leyland]] opposed the trade vehemently, and the proposal was rescinded.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chass|first1=Murray|title=Before Balco, Bonds Was Almost a Brave|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/11/sports/baseball/11chass.html|access-date=October 13, 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 11, 2006|archive-date=December 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231205752/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/11/sports/baseball/11chass.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bonds stayed with Pittsburgh and won his second MVP award that season.<ref name=MLB/><ref>{{cite web |title=1992 National League Most Valuable Player Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1992.shtml#NLmvp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406011331/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1992.shtml |archive-date=April 6, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |website=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref> While hitting .311 with 34 homers and 103 RBI, he propelled the Pirates to their third straight [[National League East]] division title. However, Pittsburgh was defeated by the Braves in a seven-game [[1992 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]]. Bonds participated in the final play of [[1992 National League Championship Series Game 7|Game 7]] of the NLCS, whereby he fielded a base hit by [[Francisco Cabrera (baseball)|Francisco Cabrera]] and attempted to throw out [[Sid Bream]] at home plate. The throw to Pirates catcher [[Mike LaValliere]] was late and Bream scored the winning run.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 14, 1992 |title=Sid Bream's modern-day "mad dash" wins the pennant for Atlanta |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_92nlcs_gm7_pitatl |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013075653/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_92nlcs_gm7_pitatl |archive-date=October 13, 2007 |access-date=September 8, 2007 |work=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref> For the third consecutive season, the NL East Champion Pirates were denied a trip to the World Series. Following the loss, Bonds and star teammate [[Doug Drabek]] were expected to command salaries too high for Pittsburgh to again sign them.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/16/sports/sports-of-the-times-the-pirates-lost-a-series-not-respect.html|title=Sports of The Times; The Pirates Lost a Series, Not Respect|access-date=September 14, 2010|date=October 16, 1992|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Vecsey, George|archive-date=October 12, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012113019/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/16/sports/sports-of-the-times-the-pirates-lost-a-series-not-respect.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Newhan |first1=Ross |date=March 21, 1993 |title=No Complaints: Jim Leyland Has Lost the Heart of His Team, but the Pirates' Manager Is Taking It in Stride |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-03-21-sp-13655-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015204915/http://articles.latimes.com/1993-03-21/sports/sp-13655_1_jim-leyland/2 |archive-date=October 15, 2015 |access-date=October 13, 2015 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

Bonds was never well-liked by reporters or fans while in Pittsburgh, despite winning two MVP awards. One paper even gave him an "award" as the "MDP" (Most Despised Pirate).<ref name=Stewart/>

===San Francisco Giants (1993–2007)===
====1993 season====
[[File:BarryBonds1993.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Bonds in 1993]]
In 1993, Bonds left the Pirates to sign a lucrative [[free agent]] contract worth a then-record $43.75 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|43.75|1993|r=1}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}) over six years with the Giants, with whom his father had spent the first seven years of his career, and with whom his godfather [[Willie Mays]] played 22 of his 24 Major League seasons. The deal was at that time the largest in baseball history, in terms of both total value and average annual salary.<ref name=43million>{{cite news |author=Chass, Murray |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/06/sports/baseball-giants-make-investment-43-million-in-bonds.html |title=Giants Make Investment: $43 Million in Bonds |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 6, 1992 |access-date=January 31, 2008 |archive-date=November 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105211836/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/06/sports/baseball-giants-make-investment-43-million-in-bonds.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Once he signed with the Giants, Bonds had intended to wear the number 24, his number during most of his stay with the Pirates and, after receiving Mays's blessing, the Giants were willing to unretire it until the public commotion from fans and media became too much.<ref>{{cite news |author=Shea |first=John |date=September 23, 2007 |title=Did Giants' special treatment of Bonds contribute to messy end?: Pampered slugger delivered, but there was a big downside |url=https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/Did-Giants-special-treatment-of-Bonds-contribute-2521262.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709094441/http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-09-23/news/17263404_1_giants-uniform-willie-mays-number-performance-enhancing-drugs |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |access-date=September 14, 2010 |work=[[SFGate]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Pearlman |first=Jeff |url=https://archive.org/details/lovemehatemebarr00pear |title=Love Me, Hate Me: Barry Bonds and the Making of an Antihero |date=April 18, 2006 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |isbn=978-0-06-079752-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/lovemehatemebarr00pear/page/143 143] |quote=bobby bonds number 25 barry. |access-date=April 17, 2008 |url-access=registration}}</ref> To honor his father, Bonds switched his jersey number to 25, as it had been Bobby's number in San Francisco.<ref>{{cite web |title=Barry Bonds |url=http://www.thebaseballpage.com/players/bondsba01.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510144452/http://www.thebaseballpage.com/players/bondsba01.php |archive-date=May 10, 2008 |access-date=September 14, 2010 |website=The Baseball Page}}</ref>

In an emotional press conference announcing the signing, Bonds described joining the Giants as going "home" and following in the footsteps of his father and godfather as "unbelievable" and "a boyhood dream come true".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stone |first1=Larry |date=December 9, 1992 |title=Bonds now a part of the family |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112822280/bonds-now-a-part-of-the-family/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110035108/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112822280/bonds-now-a-part-of-the-family/ |archive-date=November 10, 2022 |access-date=November 10, 2022 |work=[[San Francisco Examiner]] |page=B-4 |via=[[Ancestry.com|Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> His father joined the team as a coach in the same year.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weinrib |first1=Ben |date=February 22, 2018 |title=Bobby Bonds first ever with five 30-30 seasons |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/bobby-bonds-redefined-the-leadoff-position-c266982600 |access-date=23 June 2024 |work=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]] |language=en}}</ref> During a game against the [[Colorado Rockies]] on May 12, 1993, both Bonds and his father, along with [[Jerald Clark]] and [[Ron Hassey]] of the Rockies, were ejected for their role in an on-field fight.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 13, 1993 |title=Bonds, and Dad, Are Ejected |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/13/sports/baseball-bonds-and-dad-are-ejected.html |access-date=June 23, 2024 |work=[[The New York Times]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

Bonds hit .336 in 1993, leading the NL with 46 home runs and 123 RBI in 159 games en route to his second consecutive MVP award,<ref>{{cite web |title=1993 National League Most Valuable Player Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1993.shtml#NLmvp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414172552/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1993.shtml |archive-date=April 14, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref> and third overall. As good as the Giants were (winning 103 games), the [[Atlanta Braves]] won 104 in what some call the last great pennant race (because the [[Wild card (sports)#Major League Baseball|wild card]] was instituted the year after).<ref>{{cite web |author=Neyer |first=Rob |date=October 1, 2001 |title=What makes a great Pennant Race? |url=https://www.espn.com/classic/s/2001/0927/1255891.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050819134255/http://espn.go.com/classic/s/2001/0927/1255891.html |archive-date=August 19, 2005 |access-date=September 25, 2007 |work=[[ESPN Classic]]}}</ref>

====1994 season====
In the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|strike]]-shortened season of 1994, Bonds hit .312 with 37 home runs, 81 RBI and a league-leading 74 walks in 112 games.<ref name=br-stats/> He finished fourth in MVP voting.<ref>{{cite web |title=1994 National League Most Valuable Player Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1994.shtml#NLmvp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509144628/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1994.shtml |archive-date=May 9, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref>

====1995 season====
In 1995, Bonds played in 144 games, hitting .294 with 33 homers and 104 RBI, but finished only 12th in MVP voting.<ref name=br-stats/><ref>{{cite web |title=1995 National League Most Valuable Player Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1995.shtml#NLmvp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080418061553/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1995.shtml |archive-date=April 18, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |website=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref> In 1994, he appeared in a small role as himself in the television film ''[[Jane's House]]'', starring [[James Woods]] and [[Anne Archer]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Everett |first1=Todd |date=December 28, 1993 |title=Review: 'Cbs Sunday Movie Jane's House' |url=https://variety.com/1993/tv/reviews/cbs-sunday-movie-jane-s-house-1200434607/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231205753/http://variety.com/1993/tv/reviews/cbs-sunday-movie-jane-s-house-1200434607/ |archive-date=December 31, 2015 |access-date=October 22, 2015 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Leonard |first=John |date=January 3, 1994 |title=The Sporting Goods Life |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8uMCAAAAMBAJ&q=jane%27s+house+barry+bonds&pg=PA54 |journal=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |volume=27 |issue=1 |page=54 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>

====1996 season====
[[File:Barrybonds1.JPG|right|thumb|Bonds on the field]]
In 1996, Bonds became the first National League player and second major league player (of the current list of six) to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 40–40 Club: (Recorded 40 HRs and 40 SBs in a single season) |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=40_40 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825094135/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=40_40 |archive-date=August 25, 2010 |access-date=September 11, 2010 |work=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref> The other members of the [[40–40 club]] are [[José Canseco]] (1988), [[Alex Rodriguez]] (1998), [[Alfonso Soriano]] (2006), [[Ronald Acuña Jr.]] (2023), and [[Shohei Ohtani]] (2024).<ref name=":2" /> His father Bobby Bonds was one home run short in 1973 when he hit 39 home runs and stole 43 bases.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600674.html |title=Soriano Reaches 40–40 Mark |access-date=April 17, 2008 |date=September 17, 2006 |author=Goff, Steven |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |archive-date=November 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108221403/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600674.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Bonds hit his 300th and 301st home runs off the [[Florida Marlins]]' [[John Burkett]] on April 27.<ref name=1Bbrih/> He became the fourth player in history to join the 300–300 club with 300 stolen bases and 300 home runs for a career, joining [[Willie Mays]], [[Andre Dawson]], and his father. Bonds's totals for the season included 129 runs driven in, a .308 average and a then-National League record 151 walks.<ref name=rage>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/17/sports/baseball-bonds-loses-rage-but-not-the-swing.html?pagewanted=all |title=Baseball: Bonds loses rage, but not the swing |access-date=April 17, 2008 |date=May 17, 1996 |work=[[The New York Times]] |author=Smith, Claire |archive-date=July 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727145727/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/17/sports/baseball-bonds-loses-rage-but-not-the-swing.html?pagewanted=all |url-status=live }}</ref> He finished fifth in the MVP balloting.<ref>{{cite web |title=1996 National League Most Valuable Player Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1996.shtml#NLmvp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422062343/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1996.shtml |archive-date=April 22, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref>

====1997 season====
In 1997, Bonds hit .291, his lowest average since 1989. He hit 40 home runs for the second straight year and drove in 101 runs, leading the league in walks again with 145.<ref name=br-stats/> He also stole 37 bases, tying his father for having the most 30–30 seasons (five), and he again placed fifth in the MVP balloting.<ref>{{cite web |title=1997 National League Most Valuable Player Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1997.shtml#NLmvp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409140334/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1997.shtml |archive-date=April 9, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref>

====1998 season====
With two outs in the ninth inning of a game against the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] on May 28, 1998, Bonds became only the fifth player in baseball history to be given an [[intentional walk]] with the bases loaded.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Didion |first=Alex |date=February 22, 2021 |title=Why Bonds was 'shocked' by bases loaded intentional walk |url=https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/mlb/san-francisco-giants/why-bonds-was-shocked-by-bases-loaded-intentional-walk/1134761/ |access-date=June 14, 2024 |website=[[NBC Sports Bay Area]] |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Nap Lajoie]] (1901), [[Del Bissonette]] (1928) and [[Bill Nicholson (baseball)|Bill Nicholson]] (1944) were three others in the 20th century who received that rare honor. The first to receive one was [[Abner Dalrymple]] in 1881.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_wk3.shtml |title=Intentional bases on balls records |access-date=April 22, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Almanac]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413105030/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_wk3.shtml |archive-date=April 13, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On August 23, Bonds hit his 400th career home run. By doing so, he became the first player ever to enter the 400–400 club by having career totals of 400 home runs and 400 stolen bases;<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 23, 1998 |title=Bonds Begins 400-400 Club |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bonds-begins-400-400-club/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727214027/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bonds-begins-400-400-club/ |archive-date=July 27, 2021 |access-date=July 27, 2021 |website=[[CBS News]] |language=en-US}}</ref> he is still the only player to have achieved this feat. The milestone home run came off [[Kirt Ojala]], who, like Burkett, was pitching for the Marlins.<ref name="1Bbrih">{{cite web |title=1996: Bonds bashes, runs into history |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/history/sf_history_timeline_article.jsp?article=35 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515213301/http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/history/sf_history_timeline_article.jsp?article=35 |archive-date=May 15, 2008 |access-date=April 17, 2008 |work=[[San Francisco Giants]] |publisher=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref> For the season, he hit .303 with 37 home runs and drove in 122 runs, winning his eighth Gold Glove,<ref name=br-stats/> He finished eighth in the MVP voting.<ref>{{cite web |title=1998 National League Most Valuable Player Award |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1998.shtml#NLmvp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414172557/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1998.shtml |archive-date=April 14, 2008 |access-date=April 16, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref>

====1999 season====
[[File:BarryLamar Bonds.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.75|Bonds at the plate with the Giants]]
1999 marked a career-low, up to that point, for Bonds in terms of playing time. Bonds started off the 1999 season hitting well by batting .366 in the month of April with four home runs and 12 RBI in the Giants' first 12 games of the season. But on April 18, he was placed on the 15-day disabled list for only the second time in his career up to that point. Bonds had suffered a torn tendon in his biceps as well as bone spurs in his elbow, both of which required surgery and cost him the rest of April and all of May.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chass |first=Murray |date=April 21, 1999 |title=BASEBALL; Bonds Joins the Long List Of Stars Who Are Injured |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/21/sports/baseball-bonds-joins-the-long-list-of-stars-who-are-injured.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018002953/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/21/sports/baseball-bonds-joins-the-long-list-of-stars-who-are-injured.html |archive-date=October 18, 2018 |access-date=October 17, 2018 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |title=Barry Bonds |url=https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/card/436/barry-bonds |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018002956/https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/card/436/barry-bonds |archive-date=October 18, 2018 |access-date=October 17, 2018 |work=[[Baseball Prospectus]] |language=en}}</ref>

Upon returning to action on June 9, Bonds struggled somewhat at the plate for the remainder of the 1999 season. A series of nagging injuries including elbow pain, knee inflammation and groin issues hampered his play. Only hitting .248 after his return from the disabled list, he still managed to slug 34 home runs, drive in 83 runs as well as hit for a .617 slugging percentage, despite missing nearly two full months with injuries and only playing in 102 games.<ref name="br-stats" />

[[Bill James]] ranked Bonds as the best player of the 1990s. He added that the decade's second-best player, [[Craig Biggio]],<ref>{{cite web |date=February 27, 2008 |title=James on Biggio, Me on James |url=http://statisticianmagician.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/02/james_on_biggio.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415165349/http://statisticianmagician.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/02/james_on_biggio.html |archive-date=April 15, 2008 |access-date=April 17, 2008 |website=MLBlogs}}</ref> had been closer in production to the decade's 10th-best player than to Bonds. In 1999, with statistics through 1997 being considered, Bonds ranked Number 34 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, making him the highest-ranking active player.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/lisn100.shtml |title=Baseball's 100 Greatest Players |access-date=April 17, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Almanac]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512031751/http://baseball-almanac.com/legendary/lisn100.shtml |archive-date=May 12, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>

When the Sporting News list was redone in 2005, Bonds was ranked 6th behind Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, [[Ty Cobb]], [[Walter Johnson]], and [[Hank Aaron]]. Bonds was omitted from 1999's Major League Baseball All-Century Team, to which [[Ken Griffey Jr.]] was elected.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/limc100.shtml |title=All Century Team |access-date=April 17, 2008 |work=[[Baseball Almanac]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513145608/http://baseball-almanac.com/legendary/limc100.shtml |archive-date=May 13, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> James wrote of Bonds, "Certainly the most unappreciated superstar of my lifetime. ... Griffey has always been more popular, but Bonds has been a far, far greater player." In 1999, he rated Bonds as the 16th-best player of all time. "When people begin to take in all of his accomplishments," he predicted, "Bonds may well be rated among the five greatest players in the history of the game."<ref name="TNBJHBA-FBfaDI">{{cite book |author=James |first=Bill |title=The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract |publisher=[[Free Press (publisher)|Free Press]] |year=2003 |isbn=0-7432-2722-0 |location=New York}} as cited at {{cite web |author=Christensen |first=Chris |year=2006 |title=Five Books for a Deserted Island |url=http://www.efqreview.com/NewFiles/v21n1/books-fivebooks.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028131420/http://www.efqreview.com/NewFiles/v21n1/books-fivebooks.html |archive-date=October 28, 2007 |access-date=April 17, 2008 |work=[[Elysian Fields Quarterly]]}}</ref>

====2000 season====
In 2000, Bonds hit .306 with career bests through that time in both slugging percentage (.688) and home runs (49) in just 143 games. He also drew a league-leading 117 walks.<ref name=br-stats/>

====2001 season====
The next year, Bonds's offensive production reached even higher levels, breaking not only his own personal records but several major league records. In the Giants' first 50 games in 2001, he hit 28 home runs, including 17 in May—a career high.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/bondstracker/bondslog |title=Bonds career HR log |access-date=September 25, 2007 |work=[[CBS Sports]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070923104248/http://sportsline.com/mlb/bondstracker/bondslog |archive-date=September 23, 2007 }}</ref> This early stretch included his 500th home run hit on April 17 against [[Terry Adams (baseball)|Terry Adams]] of the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 17, 2001 |title=Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants Box Score: April 17, 2001 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN200104170.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216202846/http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN200104170.shtml |archive-date=December 16, 2011 |access-date=June 14, 2024 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Bh77haGge">{{cite magazine |date=October 5, 2001 |title=Bonds hits 71st, 72nd homers as Giants get eliminated |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/10/05/bonds_71_ap/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110000839/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/10/05/bonds_71_ap/ |archive-date=January 10, 2010 |access-date=August 6, 2010 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> He also hit 39 home runs by the All-star break (a major league record), drew a major league record 177 walks, and had a .515 on-base average, a feat not seen since [[Mickey Mantle]] and [[Ted Williams]] over forty years earlier. Bonds' slugging percentage (.863) was the fifth-highest in MLB history, and the highest since Josh Gibson's .868 in 1943.<ref name="SSSlug">{{cite web | title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Slugging % | website=Baseball-Reference.com | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/slugging_perc_season.shtml | access-date=2025-04-25}}</ref>

On October 4, by homering off [[Wilfredo Rodríguez]] in the 159th game of the season, Bonds tied the previous record of 70 set by [[Mark McGwire]]—which McGwire set in the 162nd game in 1998.<ref name="2HRT">{{cite web |title=2001 Home Run Tracker |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/mlb/events/mlb_bonds_hr_info.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107073516/http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/mlb/events/mlb_bonds_hr_info.jsp |archive-date=January 7, 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2010 |work=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shuttlesworth |first=Chris |date=October 5, 2001 |title=A Giant Mark for Bonds: 70 |url=http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_story.jsp?article_id=mlb_20011004_bonds70_news&team_id=mlb |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020624050422/http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_story.jsp?article_id=mlb_20011004_bonds70_news&team_id=mlb |archive-date=June 24, 2002 |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref> He then broke the record by hitting numbers 71 and 72 the following night off [[Chan Ho Park]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlegel |first=John |date=October 6, 2001 |title=72: Barry breaks record, and then some |url=http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_story.jsp?article_id=mlb_20011005_bonds_news&team_id=mlb |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011006204058/http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_story.jsp?article_id=mlb_20011005_bonds_news&team_id=mlb |archive-date=October 6, 2001 |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref> Bonds added his 73rd off [[Dennis Springer]] on October 7.<ref name=2HRT/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shuttlesworth |first=Chris |date=October 7, 2001 |title=Bonds hits 73rd, Giants win season finale |url=http://giants.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/sf/news/sf_news_story.jsp?article_id=sf_20011007_bonds_news&team_id=sf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011212000609/http://giants.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/sf/news/sf_news_story.jsp?article_id=sf_20011007_bonds_news&team_id=sf |archive-date=December 12, 2001 |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[San Francisco Giants]] |publisher=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref> The ball was later sold to toy manufacturer [[Todd McFarlane]] for $450,000.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 26, 2003 |title=Bonds' homer ball sells for $450,000 |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2003/06/26/bonds-homer-ball-sells-for-450000/ |access-date=June 14, 2024 |website=[[Tampa Bay Times]] |language=en}}</ref> He previously bought Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball from 1998.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bean |first=Matt |date=October 7, 2002 |title=Trial scheduled to begin over historic Bonds home run ball |url=https://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/10/16/ctv.baseball.lawsuit/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402122454/http://articles.cnn.com/2002-10-16/justice/ctv.baseball.lawsuit_1_martin-triano-alex-popov-patrick-hayashi?_s=PM%3ALAW |archive-date=April 2, 2012 |access-date=October 4, 2010 |work=[[CNN]]}}</ref> Bonds received the [[Babe Ruth Home Run Award]] for leading MLB in home runs that season.<ref name="syken">{{cite news |last=Syken |first=Bill |date=May 9, 2006 |title=Conspicuous absence |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/05/08/bonds.ruth/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630032718/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/05/08/bonds.ruth/ |archive-date=June 30, 2012 |work=[[Sports Illustrated]] |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

====2002 season====
Bonds re-signed with the Giants for a five-year, $90 million contract on January 15, 2002.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 15, 2002 |title=Bonds agrees to dlrs 90 million, five-year contract with Giants |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-49533870.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523071937/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-49533870.html |archive-date=May 23, 2009 |access-date=September 11, 2010 |work=[[HighBeam Research]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> He hit five home runs in the Giants' first four games of the season, tying [[Lou Brock]]'s 35-year record for most home runs after four games. He won the NL batting title with a career-high .370 average, and also recorded 46 home runs, 110 RBI, and just 47 strikeouts in 403 at-bats.<ref name=br-stats/>

Despite playing in nine fewer games than the previous season, he drew 198 walks, a major-league record; 68 of them were intentional walks,<ref name="br-stats" /> surpassing [[Willie McCovey]]'s 45 in 1969 for another Major League record. He slugged .799, then the fourth-highest total all time. Bonds broke Ted Williams' major league record for on-base average with .582. Bonds also hit his 600th home run,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Barry Bonds Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/barry-bonds-111188 |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> less than a year and a half after hitting his 500th. The home run came on August 9 at home against [[Kip Wells]] of the Pirates.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 9, 2002 |title=Pittsburgh Pirates at San Francisco Giants (box score) |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=220809126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519092129/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=220809126 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2010 |work=[[ESPN]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 9, 2002 |title=Bonds's 600th blast not enough to beat Bucs |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=220809126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519092140/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=220809126 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2010 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

====2002 postseason====
Bonds batted .322 with eight home runs, 16 RBI, and 27 walks in the postseason en route to the [[2002 World Series]], which the Giants lost in seven games to the [[Anaheim Angels]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002 World Series - Anaheim Angels over San Francisco Giants (4-3) |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2002_WS.shtml |access-date=November 6, 2023 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

====2003 season====
In 2003, Bonds played in just 130 games. He hit 45 home runs in just 390 at-bats, along with a .341 batting average. He slugged .749, walked 148 times, and had an on-base average well over .500 (.529) for the third straight year.<ref name=br-stats/> He also became the only member of the career 500 home run/500 stolen base club by stealing second base on June 23 off pitcher [[Éric Gagné]] in the 11th inning of a tied ball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers (against whom Bonds had tallied his 500th home run). Bonds scored the game-winning run later that inning.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 23, 2003 |title=Bonds's big night steals win for Giants |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=230623126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060623013931/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=230623126 |archive-date=June 23, 2006 |access-date=April 17, 2008 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

====2004 season====
In 2004, Bonds had perhaps his best season. He hit .362 en route to his second National League batting title, and broke his own record by walking 232 times (including an MLB record 120 intentional walks).<ref name="o868">{{cite web | title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Intentional Bases on Balls | website=Baseball-Reference.com | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/IBB_season.shtml | access-date=2025-01-06}}</ref> He slugged .812, the tenth-highest of all time, and broke his on-base percentage record with a .609 average. Bonds passed Mays on the career home run list by hitting his 661st off [[Ben Ford (baseball)|Ben Ford]] on April 13.<ref name="BhssisoF">{{Cite web |date=April 13, 2004 |title=Bonds hits solo shot in seventh off Ford |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240413126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519092033/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240413126 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2010 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=April 13, 2004 |title=Milwaukee Brewers at San Francisco Giants (box score) |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=240413126 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519092219/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=240413126 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2010 |work=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> He then hit his 700th off [[Jake Peavy]] on September 17.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 17, 2004 |title=San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants (box score) |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=240917126 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519092226/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=240917126 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2010 |work=[[ESPN]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=September 17, 2004 |title=Giants hold half-game lead on Cubs |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240917126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519092230/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240917126 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2010 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Bonds hit 45 home runs in 373 at-bats, and struck out just 41 times, putting himself in elite company, as few major leaguers have ever had more home runs than strikeouts in a season. Bonds would win his fourth consecutive MVP award and his seventh overall.<ref name=br-stats/><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Draper |first=Rich |date=November 15, 2004 |title=Bonds wins fourth straight NL MVP |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20041115&content_id=913660&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205100757/http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20041115&content_id=913660&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp |archive-date=December 5, 2004 |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref> His seven MVP awards are four more than any other player in history. In addition, no other player from either league has been awarded the MVP four times in a row.<ref>{{cite web |author=Carter |first=Bob |date=August 8, 2007 |title=Bonds: The Unpopular Home Run Champ |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/classic/bio/news/story?page=bonds_barry011003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103080923/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/classic/bio/news/story?page=bonds_barry011003 |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |access-date=April 17, 2008 |work=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> (The MVP award was first given in 1931). The 40-year-old Bonds also broke [[Willie Stargell]]'s 25-year record as the oldest player to win a Most Valuable Player Award (Stargell, at 39 years, 8 months, was National League co-MVP with [[Keith Hernandez]] in 1979).<ref name=":1" /> On July 4, he tied and passed [[Rickey Henderson]]'s career bases on balls record with his 2,190th and 2,191st career walks.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 4, 2004 |title=Bradford, Mulder both walk slugger |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240704126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041216142028/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240704126 |archive-date=December 16, 2004 |access-date=July 19, 2007 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

As Bonds neared Aaron's record, Aaron was called on for his opinion of Bonds. He clarified that he was a fan and admirer of Bonds and avoided the controversy regarding whether the record should be denoted with an asterisk for Bonds's alleged steroid usage. He felt recognition and respect for the award was something to be determined by the fans.<ref>{{cite news |author=Anderson |first=Dave |date=April 7, 2004 |title=Sports of The Times; Aaron Will Let the Fans Judge Bonds |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/07/sports/sports-of-the-times-aaron-will-let-the-fans-judge-bonds.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111003113/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/07/sports/sports-of-the-times-aaron-will-let-the-fans-judge-bonds.html |archive-date=November 11, 2012 |access-date=May 27, 2008 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> As the steroid controversy received greater media attention during the offseason before the 2005 season, Aaron expressed some reservations about the statements Bonds made on the issue. Aaron expressed that he felt drug and steroid use to boost athletic performance was inappropriate. Aaron was frustrated that the media could not focus on events that occurred in the field of play and wished drugs or gambling allegations such as those associated with [[Pete Rose]] could be emphasized less.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 6, 2004 |title=HOF and asterisks not up to Aaron |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=1939208 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070712102454/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1939208 |archive-date=July 12, 2007 |access-date=May 27, 2008 |work=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> In 2007, Aaron felt the whole steroid use issue was very controversial and decided that he would not attend any possible record-breaking games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 22, 2007 |title=If Bonds breaks HR record, Aaron 'won't be there' |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2879440 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009090016/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2879440 |archive-date=October 9, 2007 |access-date=May 27, 2008 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Aaron congratulated Bonds through the media including a video played on the scoreboard when Bonds eventually broke Aaron's record in August 2007.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nightengale |first=Bob |date=August 7, 2007 |title=Bonds blasts No. 756 to take over top spot |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-08-08-bonds-756_N.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517150833/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-08-08-bonds-756_N.htm |archive-date=May 17, 2008 |access-date=May 27, 2008 |work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref>

====2005 season====
Bonds's salary for the 2005 season was $22 million, the second-highest salary in Major League Baseball (the [[New York Yankees|Yankees]]' [[Alex Rodriguez]] earned the highest, $25.2 million).<ref name="BRSalaries">{{cite web |date=September 27, 2007 |title=Highest Career Total and Single-Season Salaries |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/leaders_salaries.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929153252/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/leaders_salaries.shtml |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |access-date=September 29, 2007 |work=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref>
Bonds endured a knee injury, multiple surgeries, and rehabilitation. He was activated on September 12 and started in left field. In his return against the [[San Diego Padres]], he nearly hit a home run in his first at-bat. Bonds finished the night 1-for-4.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 12, 2005 |title=Giant comeback: Bonds 1-for-4 in winning return |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250912126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213040422/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250912126 |archive-date=February 13, 2007 |access-date=April 17, 2008 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Upon his return, Bonds resumed his high-caliber performance at the plate, hitting home runs in four consecutive games from September 18 to 21.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Barry Bonds 2005 Batting Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=bondsba01&t=b&year=2005 |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He finished with a .286 average, five homers and 10 RBI in only 14 games.<ref name=br-stats/>

====2006 season====
[[File:Barry Bonds3.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Bonds batting against the Chicago Cubs in 2006]]
In 2006, Bonds earned $20 million (not including bonuses), the fourth-highest salary in baseball. Through the 2006 season he had earned approximately $172 million during his then 21-year career, making him baseball's all-time highest-paid player.<ref name=BRSalaries/> Bonds hit under .200 for his first 10 games of the season and did not hit a home run until April 22. This 10-game stretch was his longest home run slump since the 1998 season.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 22, 2006 |title=Bonds goes opposite field for career No. 709 |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260422127 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060630150051/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260422127 |archive-date=June 30, 2006 |access-date=April 17, 2008 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> On May 7, Bonds drew within one home run of tying Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time list, hitting his 713th career home run into the second level of [[Citizens Bank Park]] in [[Philadelphia]], off pitcher [[Jon Lieber]] in a game in which the Giants lost to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]].<ref>{{cite web |date=May 7, 2006 |title=Amidst Bonds spectacle, Phillies win eighth straight |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260507122 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204014754/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260507122 |archive-date=February 4, 2012 |access-date=July 2, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> The towering home run—one of the longest in Citizens Bank Park's two-season history, traveling an estimated 450&nbsp;feet (140&nbsp;m)—hit off the facade of the third deck in right field.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloom |first=Barry M. |date=May 8, 2006 |title=Bonds slugs No. 713 in Philly |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060507&content_id=1443211&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819201551/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060507&content_id=1443211&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |archive-date=August 19, 2007 |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[San Francisco Giants]] |publisher=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref>

On May 20, Bonds hit his 714th career home run to deep right field to lead off the top of the second inning, tying Ruth for second all-time.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 20, 2006 |title=Bonds reels in Babe, blasts home run No. 714 |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260520111 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070222232411/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260520111 |archive-date=February 22, 2007 |access-date=July 2, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> The home run came off left-handed pitcher [[Brad Halsey]] of the [[Oakland Athletics]], in an [[interleague play|interleague]] game played in [[Oakland, California]]. Since this was an interleague game at an American League stadium, Bonds was batting as the [[designated hitter]] in the lineup for the Giants. Bonds was quoted after the game as being "glad it's over with"<ref>{{cite web |last=Bloom |first=Barry M. |date=May 20, 2006 |title=Bonds ties Ruth with homer No. 714 |url=http://barrybonds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060501&content_id=1427974&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102054956/http://barrybonds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060501&content_id=1427974&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |archive-date=January 2, 2008 |access-date=December 14, 2007 |work=Barry Bonds |publisher=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref> and stated that more attention could be focused on [[Albert Pujols]], who was on a very rapid home run pace in early 2006.

{{multiple image
| align = left
| image1 = Sign_counts_down_to_Barry_Bonds_713th_home_run.jpg
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| alt1 = 
| caption1 = A sign counts up to Barry Bonds's 714th home run
| image2 = DSCN0163 Bonds715.JPG
| width2 = 133
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = Concession stand where home run number 715 was hit in center field
| footer = 
}}
On May 28, Bonds passed Ruth, hitting his 715th career home run to center field off [[Colorado Rockies]] pitcher [[Byung-hyun Kim]].<ref>{{cite web |date=May 28, 2006 |title=Bonds's milestone homer not enough vs. Rockies |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260528126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702004922/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260528126 |archive-date=July 2, 2007 |access-date=July 2, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Miller |first=Scott |date=May 28, 2006 |title=Bonds hits No. 715, passes Ruth as Giants fall to Rockies |url=http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/gamecenter/recap/MLB_20060528_COL@SF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108070109/http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/gamecenter/recap/MLB_20060528_COL%40SF |archive-date=January 8, 2007 |access-date=September 29, 2007 |website=[[CBSSports.com|CBS SportsLine]]}}</ref> The ball was hit an estimated 445&nbsp;feet (140&nbsp;m) into center field where it went through the hands of several fans but then fell onto an elevated platform in center field. Then it rolled off the platform where Andrew Morbitzer, a 38-year-old San Francisco resident, caught the ball while he was in line at a concession stand.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Estrella |first1=Cicero A. |last2=Schevitz |first2=Tanya |date=May 29, 2006 |title=THE BALL / He went for peanuts, and came back with a chance for a fortune |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/29/MNG17J42R61.DTL |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061030062644/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2006%2F05%2F29%2FMNG17J42R61.DTL |archive-date=October 30, 2006 |access-date=April 17, 2008 |work=[[SFGate]]}}</ref> Mysteriously, radio broadcaster [[Dave Flemming]]'s radio play-by-play of the home run went silent just as the ball was hit, apparently from a microphone failure. But the televised version, called by Giants broadcaster [[Duane Kuiper]], was not affected.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 29, 2006 |title=Giants' radio call cuts out just as Bonds hits No. 715 |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2461761 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103081138/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2461761 |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |access-date=April 18, 2008 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

[[File:20060825 Barry Bonds follow through.jpg|thumb|left|Bonds in August 2006 with the Giants]]
On September 22, Bonds tied Henry Aaron's National League career home run record of 733. The home run came in the top of the sixth inning of a high-scoring game against the [[Milwaukee Brewers]], at [[Miller Park (Milwaukee)|Miller Park]] in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The achievement was notable for its occurrence in the very city where Aaron began (with the [[Milwaukee Braves]]) and concluded (with the Brewers, then in the American League) his career. With the Giants trailing 10–8, Bonds hit a blast to deep center field on a 2–0 pitch off the Brewers' [[Chris Spurling]] with runners on first and second and one out. Though the Giants were at the time clinging to only a slim chance of making the playoffs, Bonds' home run provided the additional drama of giving the Giants an 11–10 lead late in a critical game in the final days of a pennant race. The Brewers eventually won the game, 13–12, though Bonds went 3-for-5, with two doubles, the record-tying home run, and six runs batted in.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 22, 2006 |title=Bonds ties Aaron's NL HR mark, but Giants fall to Brewers |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260922108 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103081151/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260922108 |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |access-date=July 2, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

On September 23, Bonds surpassed Aaron for the NL career home run record. Hit in Milwaukee like the previous one, this was a solo home run off [[Chris Capuano]] of the Brewers.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 23, 2006 |title=Bonds hits NL-record 734th HR, but Giants lose again |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260923108 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103081206/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260923108 |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |access-date=July 2, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> This was the last home run Bonds hit in 2006. In 2006, Bonds recorded his lowest [[slugging percentage]] (a statistic that he had historically ranked among league leaders season after season) since 1991 with the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]].<ref name=br-stats/>

In January 2007, the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' reported that Bonds had tested positive for [[amphetamine]]s.<ref name=NYP011107>{{cite news|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/01112007/sports/report__bonds_used_speed_sports_.htm |access-date=September 4, 2007 |title=Report: Bonds used 'speed' |date=January 11, 2007 |work=[[New York Post]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070128223550/http://www.nypost.com/seven/01112007/sports/report__bonds_used_speed_sports_.htm |archive-date=January 28, 2007 }}</ref> Under baseball's amphetamine policy, which had been in effect for one season, players testing positive were to submit to six additional tests and undergo treatment and counseling.<ref name=NYP011107/> The policy also stated that players were not to be identified for a first positive test, but the ''New York Daily News'' leaked the test's results.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 11, 2007 |title=Report: Bonds failed amphetamine test |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2727325 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818025425/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2727325 |archive-date=August 18, 2007 |access-date=September 4, 2007 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> When the Players Association informed Bonds of the test results, he initially attributed it to a substance he had taken from the locker of Giants teammate [[Mark Sweeney]],<ref name=NYP011107/><ref>{{cite news |author=Quinn |first=T.J. |date=January 11, 2007 |title=Caught in the act |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/01/11/bonds.amphetamines/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070125145544/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/01/11/bonds.amphetamines/index.html |archive-date=January 25, 2007 |access-date=September 4, 2007 |work=[[Sports Illustrated]] |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> but would later retract this claim and publicly apologize to Sweeney.<ref>{{cite news |author=Schulman |first=Henry |date=February 20, 2007 |title=Sweeney: It's 'over and done': Giants don't expect another apology from Bonds |url=http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Sweeney-It-s-over-and-done-Giants-don-t-2616226.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810113048/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fchronicle%2Farchive%2F2007%2F02%2F20%2FSPGV7O7HBH1.DTL |archive-date=August 10, 2007 |access-date=September 4, 2007 |work=[[SFGate]]}}</ref>

====2007 season====
[[File:Barrybonds2.JPG|thumb|right|Bonds at the plate against the Rockies in 2007]]
On January 29, 2007, the Giants finalized a contract with Bonds for the 2007 season.<ref>{{cite web |author=Bloom |first=Barry M. |date=January 29, 2007 |title=Bonds, Giants agree to deal |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070129&content_id=1789025&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013075713/http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070129&content_id=1789025&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |archive-date=October 13, 2007 |access-date=September 25, 2007 |work=[[San Francisco Giants]] |publisher=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref> After the commissioner's office rejected Bonds's one-year, $15.8 million deal because it contained a personal-appearance provision, the team sent revised documents to his agent, [[Jeff Borris]], who stated that "At this time, Barry is not signing the new documents."<ref>{{cite news |date=February 1, 2007 |title=Agent: Bonds won't sign revised contract right now |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20070201/ai_n18626981 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013195011/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20070201/ai_n18626981 |archive-date=October 13, 2007 |access-date=September 25, 2007 |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |via=[[FindArticles]]}}</ref> Bonds signed a revised one-year, $15.8 million contract on February 15 and reported to the Giants' Spring training camp on time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloom |first=Barry M. |date=February 21, 2007 |title=Bonds reports to Spring Training |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070220&content_id=1808651&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070222221510/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070220&content_id=1808651&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |archive-date=February 22, 2007 |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[San Francisco Giants]] |publisher=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref>

Bonds resumed his march to the all-time record early in the 2007 season. In the season opener on April 3, all he had was a first-inning single past third base with the infield shifted right, immediately followed by a stolen base and then thrown out at home on a baserunning mistake, followed by a deep fly-out to left field, late in the game.<ref>{{cite news |author=McCauley |first=Janie |date=April 3, 2007 |title=San Diego 7, San Francisco 0 (recap) |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270403126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070406044330/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270403126 |archive-date=April 6, 2007 |access-date=April 14, 2007 |work=[[Yahoo Sports]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Bonds regrouped the next day with his first at-bat in the second game of the season at the Giants' AT&T Park. Bonds hit a pitch from [[Chris Young (pitcher)|Chris Young]] of the San Diego Padres just over the wall to the left of straight-away center field for career home run 735.<ref>{{cite news |author=McCauley |first=Janie |date=April 5, 2007 |title=San Diego 5, San Francisco 3 (recap) |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270404126 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523021441/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270404126 |archive-date=May 23, 2011 |access-date=April 14, 2007 |work=[[Yahoo Sports]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 5, 2007 |title=San Diego 5, San Francisco 3 (box score) |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=270404126 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509214901/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=270404126 |archive-date=May 9, 2007 |access-date=April 14, 2007 |work=[[Yahoo Sports]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> This home run put Bonds past the midway point between Ruth and Aaron.

Bonds did not homer again until April 13, when he hit two (736 and 737) in a 3-for-3 night that included four RBI against the Pittsburgh Pirates.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 13, 2007 |title=San Francisco 8, Pittsburgh 5 (recap) |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270413123&prov=ap |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070416075146/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270413123&prov=ap |archive-date=April 16, 2007 |access-date=April 14, 2007 |work=[[Yahoo! Sports]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Bonds splashed a pitch by [[St. Louis Cardinals]] pitcher [[Ryan Franklin]] into [[McCovey Cove]] on April 18 for home run 738.<ref name="HR738">{{cite news |date=May 11, 2007 |title=Hounding "The Hammer" |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/hounding-the-hammer/ |access-date=August 29, 2024 |work=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> Home runs number 739 and 740 came in back to back games on April 21 and 22 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 21, 2007 |title=San Francisco 1, Arizona 0 (recap) |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270421126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070423063807/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270421126 |archive-date=April 23, 2007 |access-date=April 23, 2007 |work=[[Yahoo Sports]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 22, 2007 |title=San Francisco 2, Arizona 1 (recap) |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270422126&prov=ap |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427052252/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270422126&prov=ap |archive-date=April 27, 2007 |access-date=April 23, 2007 |work=[[Yahoo! Sports]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

The hype surrounding Bonds's pursuit of the home run record escalated on May 14. On this day, Sports Auction for Heritage (a Dallas-based auction house) offered US$1 million to the fan who would catch Bonds's record-breaking 756th-career home run.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 14, 2007 |title=Auction house willing to buy 756 ball for $1M |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2869244 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517234829/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2869244 |archive-date=May 17, 2007 |access-date=June 30, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> The million-dollar offer was rescinded on June 11 out of concern of fan safety.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 12, 2007 |title=Auction house withdraws $1M bounty on No. 756 |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2900735 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907054123/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2900735 |archive-date=September 7, 2007 |access-date=June 30, 2007 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Home run 748 came on Father's Day, June 17, in the final game of a three-game road series against the [[Boston Red Sox]] at [[Fenway Park]], where Bonds had never previously played.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 17, 2007 |title=Bonds hits first Fenway homer in loss to Red Sox |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270617102 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912082255/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270617102 |archive-date=September 12, 2007 |access-date=June 30, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> With this homer, Fenway Park became the 36th major league ballpark in which Bonds had hit a home run. He hit a [[Tim Wakefield]] knuckleball just over the low fence into the Giants' bullpen in right field. It was his first home run off his former Pittsburgh Pirate teammate, who became the 441st different pitcher to surrender a four-bagger to Bonds. The 750th career home run, hit on June 29, also came off a former teammate: [[Liván Hernández]]. The blast came in the eighth inning and at that point tied the game at 3–3.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 29, 2007 |title=Bonds is 5 homers shy of Aaron's mark after loss in 10th |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270629126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007170358/http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270629126 |archive-date=October 7, 2012 |access-date=June 30, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

On July 19, after a 21 at-bat hitless streak, Bonds hit two home runs, numbers 752 and 753, against the [[Chicago Cubs]]. He went 3-for-3 with two home runs, six RBI, and a walk on that day.<ref>{{cite news |author=McCauley |first=Janie |date=July 19, 2007 |title=Chi Cubs 9, San Francisco 8 (recap) |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270719116 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809081927/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270719116 |archive-date=August 9, 2007 |access-date=July 19, 2007 |work=[[Yahoo Sports]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> The struggling last-place Giants still lost the game, 9–8. On July 27, Bonds hit home run 754 against [[Florida Marlins]] pitcher [[Rick VandenHurk]]. Bonds was then walked his next four at-bats in the game, but a two-run shot helped the Giants win the game 12–10. It marked the first time since he had hit #747 that Bonds had homered in a game the Giants won.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 27, 2007 |title=Bonds pulls within one of Aaron's all-time mark with 754th career homer |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270727126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224043608/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270727126 |archive-date=December 24, 2007 |access-date=September 8, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> On August 4, Bonds hit a <span style="white-space:nowrap">382&nbsp;foot&nbsp;(116&nbsp;m)</span> home run against [[Clay Hensley]] of the [[San Diego Padres]] for home run number 755, tying Hank Aaron's all-time record.<ref name="ESPN20070804">{{cite web |date=August 4, 2007 |title=Bonds ties Aaron with No. 755, but Pads win in 12 |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270804125 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005074001/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270804125 |archive-date=October 5, 2010 |access-date=September 8, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Bonds greeted his son, Nikolai, with an extended bear hug after crossing home plate. Bonds greeted his teammates and then his wife, Liz Watson, and daughter Aisha Lynn behind the backstop. Hensley was the 445th different pitcher to give up a home run to Bonds.<ref name=ESPN20070804/> Ironically, given the cloud of suspicion that surrounded Bonds, the tying home run was hit off a pitcher who had been suspended by baseball in 2005 for steroid use.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crowe |first=Jerry |date=August 7, 2007 |title=Bonds' clay pigeon had his own shadowy history |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-aug-07-sp-crowe7-story.html |access-date= |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref> He was walked in his next at-bat and eventually scored on a fielder's choice.

On August 7 at 8:51&nbsp;PM [[Pacific time zone|PDT]], at [[Oracle Park]] (then known as AT&T Park) in San Francisco,<ref>{{cite web |last1= |date=July 24, 2014 |title=Bonds breaks Aaron's record |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL3vNXIsEPM |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211123/cL3vNXIsEPM |archive-date=November 23, 2021 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |website=[[YouTube]] |publisher=[[Major League Baseball|MLB]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Bonds hit a <span style="white-space:nowrap">435&nbsp;foot&nbsp;(133&nbsp;m)</span> home run, his 756th, off a pitch from [[Mike Bacsik (left-handed pitcher)|Mike Bacsik]] of the [[Washington Nationals]], breaking the all-time career home run record, formerly held by [[Hank Aaron]].<ref>{{cite web |date=August 7, 2007 |title=Bonds turns page to new era with home run No. 756 |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270807126 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529101455/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270807126 |archive-date=May 29, 2008 |access-date=September 8, 2007 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Coincidentally, Bacsik's father had faced Aaron (as a pitcher for the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]) after Aaron had hit his 755th home run. On August 23, 1976, Michael J. Bacsik held Aaron to a single and a fly out to right field. The younger Bacsik commented later, "If my dad had been gracious enough to let Hank Aaron hit a home run, we both would have given up 756."<ref>{{cite news |date=August 8, 2007 |title=Unlike father, Bacsik can't prevent home run No. 756 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7jJZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o0cNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4061%2C1044664 |access-date=January 2, 2025 |work=[[The Union Democrat]] |page=B5 |via=[[Google News Archive]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> After hitting the home run, Bonds gave Bacsik an autographed bat.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloom |first=Barry M. |date=August 8, 2007 |title=Bonds New King of Swing After No. 756 |url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/august082007/bonds_folo_080807.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927051431/http://www.salem-news.com/articles/august082007/bonds_folo_080807.php |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |access-date=September 29, 2007 |website=[[The Salem News]]}}</ref>

The pitch, the seventh of the at-bat, was a 3–2 pitch which Bonds hit into the right-center field bleachers. The fan who ended up with the ball, 22-year-old Matt Murphy from [[Queens]], New York City, (and a [[New York Mets|Mets fan]]), was promptly protected and escorted away from the mayhem by a group of San Francisco police officers.<ref name="espn.com">{{Cite web |date=August 9, 2007 |title=Queens man in San Francisco for one day catches famous ball |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2965703 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525070215/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2965703 |archive-date=May 25, 2011 |access-date=September 29, 2007 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> After Bonds finished his home run trot, a 10-minute delay followed, including a brief video by Aaron congratulating Bonds on breaking the record Aaron had held for 33 years,<ref name="too good to be true">{{cite web |author=Kriegel |first=Mark |date=August 8, 2007 |title=Bonds's historic journey too good to be true |url=http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7102950 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815203618/http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7102950 |archive-date=August 15, 2007 |access-date=September 29, 2007 |work=[[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]] |publisher=[[MSN]]}}</ref> and expressing the hope that "the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams."<ref name="too good to be true"/> Bonds made an impromptu emotional statement on the field, with Willie Mays, his godfather, at his side and thanked his teammates, family and his late father.<ref name="too good to be true"/> Bonds sat out the rest of the game.

[[File:Barry Bonds 756 Ball.png|thumb|right|Bonds's 756th home run ball in the Hall of Fame]]
The commissioner, [[Bud Selig]], was not in attendance in this game but was represented by the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, [[Jimmie Lee Solomon]]. Selig called Bonds later that night to congratulate him on breaking the record.<ref>{{cite web |author=Curry |first=Jack |date=August 8, 2007 |title=Bonds completes rocky journey to break record |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/08/sports/base.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013105656/http://iht.com/articles/2007/08/08/sports/base.php |archive-date=October 13, 2007 |access-date=October 4, 2007 |work=[[International Herald Tribune]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2007 |title=Bonds moves into eternity, assumes MLB home run record |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2965584 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014225429/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2965584 |archive-date=October 14, 2007 |access-date=October 4, 2007 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> President [[George W. Bush]] also called Bonds the next day to congratulate him.<ref>{{cite web |author=Bloom |first=Barry B. |date=August 8, 2007 |title=Bonds receives presidential congrats |url=http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070808&content_id=2138216&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013075718/http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070808&content_id=2138216&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf |archive-date=October 13, 2007 |access-date=October 4, 2007 |work=[[San Francisco Giants]] |publisher=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2007 |title=President Bush called Bonds on Tuesday to congratulate him on 756 |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2966418&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822121925/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2966418&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines |archive-date=August 22, 2007 |access-date=August 9, 2007 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> On August 24, San Francisco honored and celebrated Bonds' career accomplishments and breaking the home run record with a large rally in [[Justin Herman Plaza]]. The rally included video messages from [[Lou Brock]], [[Ernie Banks]], [[Ozzie Smith]], [[Joe Montana]], [[Wayne Gretzky]] and [[Michael Jordan]]. Speeches were made by Willie Mays, Giants teammates [[Omar Vizquel]] and [[Rich Aurilia]], and Giants owner [[Peter Magowan]]. Mayor [[Gavin Newsom]] presented Bonds the key to the [[San Francisco|City and County of San Francisco]] and Giants vice president Larry Baer gave Bonds the home plate he touched after hitting his 756th career home run.<ref>{{cite news |author=Wildermuth |first=John |date=August 25, 2007 |title=San Francisco honors Barry Bonds for Giant accomplishments |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/25/BAALRP1IQ.DTL |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013190743/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2007%2F08%2F25%2FBAALRP1IQ.DTL |archive-date=October 13, 2007 |access-date=October 4, 2007 |work=[[SFGate]]}}</ref>

The record-setting ball was consigned to an auction house on August 21.<ref>{{cite news |author=Bulwa |first=Demian |date=August 21, 2007 |title=Bonds ball catcher will put souvenir up for auction |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/21/SPGGSRMMGJ6.DTL |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620145646/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2007%2F08%2F21%2FSPGGSRMMGJ6.DTL |archive-date=June 20, 2012 |access-date=September 10, 2010 |work=[[SFGate]]}}</ref> Bidding began on August 28 and closed with a winning bid of US$752,467 on September 15 after a three-phase [[online auction]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wildermuth |first=John |date=September 16, 2007 |title=Going, going – gone! Record-breaking Bonds ball nets $752,467 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Going-going-gone-2503233.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014193502/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2007%2F09%2F16%2FBAULS74ES.DTL |archive-date=October 14, 2007 |access-date=October 4, 2007 |work=[[SFGate]]}}</ref> The high bidder, fashion designer [[Marc Ecko]], created a website to let fans decide its fate.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/latest/buyer-of-756th-home-run-ball-will-let-you-decide.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013063609/http://sportscollectorsdaily.com/latest/buyer-of-756th-home-run-ball-will-let-you-decide.html|archive-date=October 13, 2007|title=Buyer of 756th Home Run Ball Will Let You Decide Fate |access-date=October 4, 2007|date=September 17, 2007|work=Sports Collectors Daily}}</ref> Subsequently,<ref>{{cite web |author=Moredich |first=John |date=September 17, 2007 |title=Bounce: UA lines up pitching help for 2009 |url=http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2007/09/19/63417-bounce-ua-lines-up-pitching-help-for-2009/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009001445/http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2007/09/19/63417-bounce-ua-lines-up-pitching-help-for-2009/ |archive-date=October 9, 2011 |access-date=September 12, 2010 |work=[[Tucson Citizen]]}}</ref> Ben Padnos, who submitted the $186,750 winning bid on Bonds' record-tying 755th home run ball also set up a website to let fans decide its fate.<ref>{{cite web |author=Hoffarth |first=Tom |date=September 17, 2007 |title=You could blow the Bonds HRs balls up real good |url=http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffarth/archives/2007/09/they-could-blow.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205210653/http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffarth/archives/2007/09/they-could-blow.html |archive-date=December 5, 2009 |access-date=September 9, 2010 |work=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]}}</ref> Ten million voters helped Ecko decide to brand the ball with an asterisk and send it to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Celizic |first=Mike |date=September 26, 2007 |title=Verdict in: Bonds ball headed for Cooperstown: But with an asterisk. Marc Ecko shares the results of 10 million-fan vote |url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/20987026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108090220/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/20987026 |archive-date=January 8, 2011 |access-date=September 12, 2010 |website=[[MSNBC]] |publisher=[[Today (American TV program)|TODAY]]}}</ref> Of Ecko's plans, Bonds said "He spent $750,000 on the ball and that's what he's doing with it? What he's doing is stupid."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schulman |first=Henry |date=September 19, 2007 |title=Bonds's Ecko: 'stupid' |url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/19/SP6JS8JMH.DTL |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071004204221/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2007%2F09%2F19%2FSP6JS8JMH.DTL |archive-date=October 4, 2007 |access-date=September 24, 2007 |work=[[SFGate]]}}</ref> Padnos, on the other hand, sold five-year ads on a website, www.endthedebate.com, where people voted by a two-to-one margin to smash the ball.<ref>{{cite web |title=Settle The Score On The Barry Bonds Controversy! |url=http://www.endthedebate.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830113057/http://endthedebate.com/ |archive-date=August 30, 2010 |access-date=September 12, 2010 |website=EndTheDebate}}</ref>

Bonds concluded the 2007 season with a .276 batting average, 28 home runs, and 66 RBI in 126 games and 340 at-bats. At the age of 43, he led both leagues in walks with 132.<ref name=br-stats/>